Marriott Marquis Hotels in New York, Atlanta and San Francisco Mark 25 Years!

BETHESDA, Md., April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Three landmark Marriott Marquis Hotels are commemorating their 25th anniversary with an invitation to guests to come celebrate, no matter what the occasion, all summer long in New York, Atlanta and San Francisco.  From now through September 6, travelers can get in a celebratory mood with the Marriott Marquis Celebration Hotel Package at the New York Marriott Marquis, Atlanta Marriott Marquis and San Francisco Marriott Marquis.

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With rates starting at $189 per night, plus tax, the hotel package includes:

• Upgraded room accommodations
• A bottle of champagne from Sonoma's renowned Iron Horse Vineyards, created exclusively for the hotels
• Luscious custom-created chocolates by Executive Pastry Chef Steve Evetts, infused with the flavors of 3 cities (apple, peach and red wine)
• And a $25 hotel restaurant gift card for use during the stay

All three hotels will continue celebrations throughout the summer, including specialty cocktails and restaurant promotions for hotel guests as well as for their local clientele.  

The Marriott Marquis Celebration Package is offered 7 days a week, based upon availability, and a three-day advance booking is required. Some restrictions do apply.  To book the package, go to: www.marriottmarquiscelebration.com.

Risky Business

Although all three Marquis hotels have proved tremendously successful in their markets, their beginnings, not at all auspicious, were the result of the vision of Marriott's chairman.

"It was a big risk to build such large, iconic hotels in downtown, urban centers in the early 1980s," says J. Willard Marriott, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Marriott International.  "During the past 25 years, all three hotels have helped stimulate tourism, created thousands of jobs and made great contributions of service and charitable works in their local communities. They represent the heart and soul of each city."

When these large hotels opened in 1985, they were pioneers in their neighborhoods, but each has continued to have a major business impact in their neighborhoods and provide new job opportunities:

The 1,946-room New York's Marriott Marquis, opened in October 1985 in the center of Times Square, where tourists and business travelers only visited but rarely stayed in a hotel. Today, the hotel's neighborhood is an urban entertainment and shopping hub, in the heart of a rejuvenated Times Square and Broadway's theater district. Like the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, it features a soaring atrium lobby spanning 49 floors. It has more than 100,000 square feet of banquet and meeting space and is home to The View, New York's only revolving rooftop restaurant.

The 1,499-room San Francisco's Marriott Marquis, adjacent to the Moscone Convention Center, was built in the 1980s in an area that some feared would displace middle class residents. The hotel actually raised the profile of the neighborhood by attracting development to appeal to travelers as well as the local community.  The San Francisco Marriott Marquis was recently named as part of the Marquis brand. It has 117,000 square feet of meeting space and is adjacent to the Yerba Buena Gardens, near Union Square and AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.

The 1,663-room Atlanta Marriott Marquis opened in August 1985 and complemented the expanding Georgia World Congress Center, adding much needed rooms to the city. It continues to be the hospitality leader in Atlanta and recently completed a top-to-bottom renovation of its rooms and public areas. Its open air atrium lobby is highlighted by a 50-foot color-changing sail. The hotel features 160,000 square feet of banquet/meeting space and six new restaurants and lounges, a spa, and fitness center.

Editor's Note:  For current and archival photography, visit Flickr, at http://www.flickr.com/photos/marriott/sets/72157623826667861/

Marriott Marquis is a brand extension of Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International's iconic business brand and flagship, inspires your best performance during travel and helps you work, relax and recharge in your own way, at nearly 500 hotels in 60 countries. Marriott continues to accommodate life on the road for discerning business and leisure travelers, offering warm, professional service; sophisticated yet functional guest room design; lobby spaces that facilitate working, dining and socializing; meeting and event spaces and services that are the gold standard; and expansive, 24-hour fitness facilities.  All Marriott hotels participate in the award winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information, visit www.marriott.com.  

Visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) for company information.

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.